Blooming Love
by Inkweaver2
Summary: Are Rin and Sesshomaru really in love? Will time tear the two apart? Can a hard heart ever truly be softened? Who is Hero? And is their anyway to stop the unstoppable? Chapter 6 is up!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters from Inuyasha**

**Ok, this was the first fanfiction I ever wrote so please don't be to mean to me. (I wrote it about a year ago) I'm truly not a big fan of the Sesshomaru Rin couple, (sorry) but I do want it to happen. The true reason I wrote this was to bug a friend of mine who was completely in love with Sesshomaru and hated Rin's guts because she got the be with him all the time. (Her nickname is Tater Twig) Hello Tater Twig! You can't rip it up this time! HA HA HA! Sorry about the outburst! **

**Enjoy! - **

Intro

Years have come and gone since the fall of Naraku, and many things have changed. With the turnings of the seasons Rin has grown into a young lady at Sesshomaru side. Through the years she has refused to leave no matter what peril she had to face. Now, on her seventeenth year, she is traveling with Sesshomaru through Inuyasha's Forest. They were headed to his domain in the west and it was the quickest rout. Sesshomaru did not care if he saw Inuyasha. Nor did Rin, as long as she was with Sesshomaru she felt as though she feared nothing.

Rin had, just moments ago, awoken and an early spring morning breeze was blowing through the trees.

"What a beautiful morning! I LOVE spring! It is my favorite season! The flowers are blooming and everything is waking up form the long winter!" Rin chattered to her two demon companions. Sesshomaru was awake long before Rin rose, but Rin's chatter had ruddily awakened Jaken, putting him in a horrible mood.

"Would you be quiet, Rin?! Do you have to start your blabbing this early?!" he nagged. In order to stop one of the increasing occurring fights, Sesshomaru had only to give one simple command. "Hurry" His loyal companion and servant immediately obeyed.

They were off just as the full form of the sun rose over the mountain tops.

"Wow!" Rin said serenely as she stared at the surrounding forest.

"What!" Jaken snapped, "It is the same forest you have been seeing for days now!" Rin was always amazed by the forest's majestic scenery, no matter how many times she saw it. That was a quality about her that Sesshomaru had always found endearing, even if he would never say so aloud.

The trek went as usual. They had been walking for many hours and Rin was beginning to tire. It always happened this way, and Jaken never missed it as an opportunity to criticize Rin. He was given the perfect opportunity. As they were making their way through an extremely rocky portion of the unmarked trail, Rin's footing failed her and she tripped, twisting her ankle. She hit the ground hard, and then slid a small way down the path, obtaining many new scraps and bruises to accompany her twisted ankle.

The second Rin came to a halt Jaken began his rampage.

"You clumsy oaf! All you seem to do is cause me grief! Do you know how much faster we could be going if we didn't have a human like you tagging along?! You only slow Lord Sesshomaru and me down!" Rin was holding back her tears, and it showed. Despite how hard Sesshomaru tried to simply continue walking, as he always did in a situation like this, he couldn't stop himself form intervening.

"**Leave her alone, Jaken**!**"** Sesshomaru barked. He received a shocked and hurt expression from his most loyal servant. "Can you walk?" he asked Rin calmly and without making eye contact.

"Of course!" Rin answered, but when she struggled to her feet her only reward was to collapse to her knees again from the pain in her right ankle. Without a word, Sesshomaru stepped swiftly over to Rin, and in one fluent motion, scooped her into his waiting arms and started walking once more.

Rin stared up at Sesshomaru's face with surprise, but he wasn't meeting her eyes again. That was lucky for Rin because as soon as her pure surprise subsided a slight blush etched itself, unwilled, onto her features. She buried her face into the fluff to try an insure that Sesshomaru didn't see her embarrassment. He carried her for the rest of the day, followed by a depressed and silent Jaken.

For the following four days Sesshomaru continued to carry Rin. After that her ankle had felt well enough to walk alone, much to her distress. She wished that he would carry her forever, if that was the only way she would be acknowledged. Otherwise she seemed to be invisible most of the time. That was until recently. Before, it felt as if Sesshomaru didn't care about her presence, but now he seemed to be avoiding looking at her, at least while someone was watching. In the last day Rin had caught him glancing at her multiple times. She also would feel as if someone was watching her, and when she turned around she would see him looking in her direction. It was in just the same that she had watched him for **so long**.

A week pasted as quickly as sand in an hour glass. They had finally reached the edge of Inuyasha's Forest. It would be only farms and villages for quite some time now. Jaken expressed worries that it would be dangerous with so many humans around. For that Sesshomaru gave Jaken a stare that clearly said, _You don't understand me at all, do you?_ Rin was beginning to feel a small prickling of fear at the back of her mind. All the horrible things that happened in her life occurred in the world of humans. But she was confident that as long as she was with Sesshomaru nothing bad would happen. He would protect her.

Walking down the road between the farms earned them unwanted attention. Their were many workers on the farms that saw them pass. Their gasps and frighten squeals were ignored, by Sesshomaru at least. Rin and Jaken continued to glance nervously at the surrounding workers. When Sesshomaru saw how utterly uncomfortable Rin appeared he picked her up in one arm and grabbed Jaken with his other hand. Then he bolted off to the unoccupied fields far off in the distance. They reached in one sprint what would have taken them hours of walking. These fields were vacant of all humans other then Rin herself. He slowly placed Rin back on the ground and, as soon as Rin was down, dropped a swirl-eyed Jaken on his face.

"This is much better." Rin sighed.

"I'm glad," Sesshomaru murmured so quietly that Rin barley understood. He was probably counting on her human ears not to be sensitive enough to hear his words. He was wrong. Luckily he didn't discover his mistake because Rin was facing in the opposite direction and it masked her surprise. Jaken heard every word, but he decided not to let it bother him. After all, Sesshomaru would never have affections for a human girl.

They were approaching the final patch of forest after walking through fields for about two days. Once they exited it they would be in the West. Rin was very excited to be going. She also wanted to go back into a forest again. They were her favorite places on Earth. Sesshomaru was also looking forward to being in the forest again as well, but it was for a very different reason. He was only looking forward to it because Rin would be so happy there. _Why do I feel this way?_ Sesshomaru continually asked himself. Why does she affect me so? Rin's emotions were also changing, too. She had always admired Sesshomaru, but now she found her mind always thinking of him. As a child he had been like a hero to her, or a god among mortals. His heart was so unreachable that she could only follow him blindly as long as he would allow. Now he had become much more mortal, but no less awe inspiring. His heart now seemed closer as well. As if it was just behind a thin door, and she held the key. She felt him slowly becoming more open every day, and the more he opened up the more she wanted to be with him, forever. Once that was all she had wanted, to be near him, but now she wanted more. It was a secret yearning deep in her heart. One she didn't even begin to understand.

Sesshomaru felt the change in Rin's affection for him. He tried to ignore the joy the information brought him. She was a human and he was a demon. _It would never work_, he had told himself, but he still couldn't help hoping that they could be together. That there was some loophole he had overlooked.

They reached the forest by mid-afternoon. It was as lush as green as the forest they had traveled through before it. Everything seemed to be alive and breathing. The entire forest pulsed with that life. It was a truly beautiful sight to behold.

"Wow!" Rin said, as she always did. Jaken screamed,

"You just have to start this again don't…!" Jaken was silenced by one sharp glance from Sesshomaru. The hour that followed passed without Jaken making a sound.

It is odd how fast the weather can change. In that hour, the sunny sky changed to dark storm clouds. Sesshomaru turned his face to the sky.

"We'll look for shelter now," he said.

"But my lord, it looks as if the rain will not be so hard that we can't travel." Jaken replied. Sesshomaru's gaze fell on Rin.

"We are finding shelter now," he repeated. That put an end to all further argument.

It took them only a matter of minutes to fine a small cave that would be the perfect hiding place from the rain. No sooner had it been found, the rain began the plummet to the ground. Jaken was thinking their timing had been perfect, for he was now glad that they had abandoned the idea of continuing their travels for the time, when Sesshomaru said coolly,

"Go get fire wood, Jaken,"

"My lord! We don't need fire wood!" he quickly replied. It was true. Rin would be the only one to benefit from a fire.

"Go," Sesshomaru ordered coldly, "before the wood becomes too wet to burn." Without any more argument, Jaken slowly walked into the pouring rain and the forest beyond.

"Will Jaken be alright?" Rin asked Sesshomaru with concern.

"Yes," he replied. "Why do you need fire wood?" Rin asked.

"I don't," he said simply.

"But then why did you…" Rin trailed off. Sesshomaru was looking at her straight in the eye. That reviled to her all of the emotions he had been attempting to hide; compassion, concern, and, most of all, **love**. Rin had never been more shocked. Sesshomaru returned all of her feelings for him. She stood their gaping at Sesshomaru as if she had never seen him before in her life. He took that the wrong way. When he realized she had seen through his defenses, he was devastated. Her reaction only made it worse. He believed that she was rejecting him.

"I'll find Jaken," he said coldly as he made his escape. He stepped out into the rain before Rin came to her senses. As soon as she regained control she ran after him. Before he even reach the nearby trees, Rin laid her hand on his shoulder to halt him. Then Rin swiftly placed herself in front for him to stop his retreat. He didn't have the chance to speak before Rin had pressed her soft lips against his.

Sesshomaru was taken completely off guard. He didn't pull away, but he didn't kiss back either. Discouraged, Rin began to pull away, but right as her lips left Sesshomaru's, he pressed his lips back on to hers. Then he wrapped his arms around her frail, human body, and, of course, she returned his embrace. Neither knew how long they held the other, for time seemed to stand still, and each had their eyes closed in pure bliss as the held each other in the pouring rain. As they pulled their lips away the rain stopped and the sun became visible thought the clouds. Rin, still in Sesshomaru's arms, smiled as the last of the raindrops fell down her face.

Right as they released each other, a loud crash was heard through the trees, and Jaken tumbled out surrounded by the fire wood that had fallen from his arms when he tripped. Jaken jumped up and exclaimed,

"Great! The rains stops just as I **finish** getting the fire wood!" Then he looks at Rin's smiling face. "What?!" he yelled at her, obviously thinking that she was laughing at his misfortune.

"Nothing, Jaken," Rin replied, still smiling.

"Let's go," Sesshomaru ordered, and they were off again.

**I hope you liked it!! **

**PLEASE REVIEW! I'll try to write back to all of you just, please, I'm begging you to review!! (Crying loudly in the corner until the first review comes in)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha**

**As you might know, this started as a one-shot. I'm writing this thanks to an awesome reviewer named** **RamenLover****! Thank you so much for the encouragement! Please forgive me if Sesshomaru being OOC. **

**Tater Twig is ticked about me writing a second chapter! That just makes it more fun! (She refuses to read it)**

**Something you might need to have seen understand**** a character in this fanfiction (not ****that**** important) is the episodes involving the panther demons. If you have not, it is pretty simple. Sesshy's dad beat their leader, they wanted revenge on the sons. Battle fight. Panther demons brought leader/master back from the dead. He betrays them and uses their souls to gain his power back. Sesshomaru kills him, souls go back and they thank Sesshomaru. (Inuyasha was there to) That's it.**

**Enjoy! - **

Into their heads

One would think everything would change once they saw their love for one another and that they would suddenly be lovers, both part of the same whole, but things didn't work out that way. Rin and Sesshomaru knew they loved each other, yes, but neither knew what to do with that precious information. After all, even if their love was as strong as the seven seas, Rin was still human and Sesshomaru was still a demon. Their life spans were so different. How could they live their lives together? Within a few years Rin would grow old and fragile, and then die while Sesshomaru stayed the same and was forced to watch the love of his life die slowly in front of him without the ability to save her from the passing of the years.

For the first time in his life Sesshomaru would be utterly helpless. He knew this, and had known this since he had first started to see Rin in a new light. Sesshomaru had tried desperately to beat some sense into his heart before he lost it to a human girl and had failed horribly. And now that he finally knew she loved him in return, those same fears came pouring back to him, stronger then ever.

Rin knew his fears, though she did not know he also feared them. She worried so about leaving Sesshomaru alone. How could she let a man give her his heart and know all along that she would tear it apart in the end? When she had first kissed his soft lips, she had been more joyful than in any other point in her short life, and for awhile after, as they walked down the forest path, she was bubbling with glee.

Then it had hit her like a rock. The things Jaken said that day so long ago, the day she had first realized she wouldn't be with Sesshomaru forever, came flooding back to her.

"_You'll be long dead by then!"_

She would die. Sesshomaru couldn't stop it and she would leave him behind, taking away a large part of his heart in the process. That is, if she let herself be with him. Rin knew then she should leave his side forever and let his heart let her go before it was too late. But she also knew she could never make herself leave. She hated herself for her selflessness, but could not overcome it.

**Start of action**

So much turmoil was going on inside the pair's head that even Jaken had to notice something was wrong eventually. It finally happened the next day somewhere around mid-morning when they were near the Western border, and not even Rin had shared Jaken's enthusiasm.

"What is the matter with you, Rin?!" Jaken squawked in his usual annoying voice. "You're never quiet, but when I'm excited about something, you're as quiet as a mouse!"

"Sorry, Master Jaken," she whispered sadly, still lost in her own thoughts.

Jaken jumped into the air, his two-headed staff rose in hand and bonked Rin on the head in his temper. Not hard enough to hurt too much, but more then enough to get her attention. "Wake up, girl!" he yelled.

The moment the staff made contact with her head, Sesshomaru went rigid. He halted mid-step and let his foot fall to the ground. Jaken didn't notice and trotted straight into the back of Sesshomaru's leg.

"Why have we stopped, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked innocently. Regaining control over himself, Sesshomaru merely turned to Jaken and introduced his foot to Jaken's face once again. Jaken lay on his back with a footmark indented across his face, and Sesshomaru turned back to the path and began to walk once more.

For a moment, Rin only watched Sesshomaru's back as he walked away. No, she could never leave him. Never. Her love was too strong. She would tell him. Tell him aloud that she loved him and let Jaken and everyone else in the world hear her. Rin opened her mouth slowly, feeling those sweet words on the tip of her tongue. But she didn't get to say them before a voice came from the surrounding trees.

"So you're Lord Sesshomaru!" the voice said mockingly. "You don't seem that tough!" At that moment a panther demon leapt into the path ahead. He was slim and muscular with a braid of orange hair extending to the middle of his back. Smirking, his face looked much like that of a cat who had mischief at work. "Are you really the one who beat our master?"

"…Make way," Sesshomaru said coldly as if the panther had not spoken at all.

"Aw, now I feel bad!" the panther demon laughed. "You're not a very nice guy, Sesshomaru!"

To that remark Sesshomaru just glared.

"Oh well, not that it matters. I didn't come here to be nice either," he continued, face darkening. "I came to test my skills against yours. So far, I'm not impressed."

Sesshomaru made no reply. He didn't want to fight this insignificant creature. Rin was right there watching, so he didn't think he should kill him if it could be helped.

_A scare tactic would be more efficient,_ Sesshomaru decided. He started to transform into his true form. Sesshomaru's eye turned as crimson as blood, and the corners of his mouth began to stretch, teeth growing larger ever second.

The panther demon looked shocked and jumped off the path away where he was just looking out of the trees. "Ok, I get it! You're stronger! You're strong, okay?!" This panther is a lowlife and only challenged Sesshomaru for kicks. Now he realized that he bit off more then he can chew and is merely attempting to save his own skin.

Sesshomaru stopped his transformation and slowly went back to his original form. It truly would be best, he reasoned, if he didn't have to spill blood while in Rin's presence, no matter how much he wanted to kill the shivering whelp.

"Ok, that was close," the panther demon said, his cocky manner returning as current danger left. "Oh well. So you're stronger then me," he shrugged. "I have to find something I can gain because of this ordeal!"

His eyes scanned the surrounding area and landed right on Rin. Quick as a flash, he reached her, gathering her up into his arms roughly. "I should find some use for this!" he taunted.

Sesshomaru's eyes lit with anger and he jumped, attempting a rescue, but the panther, though not stronger than Sesshomaru, was faster on his feet. He jumped out of the path and while in midair he threw three small balls where he had just been standing. There was a poof of sickening purple smoke that erupted from them with a scent so strong Sesshomaru was completely blinded for a few seconds.

It was enough. The pungent odor blocked the panther's own pungent scent from Sesshomaru's keen nose. It would be a few days before he would be able to track them because of the smoke hanging over the area.

Sesshomaru stood alone in the middle of the path, with the exception of a swirly- eyed Jaken at his feet, and made himself a vow. He would save Rin and the panther would pay. With his life.

**If you're wondering why it took so long to write, it is because I gave up on it right in the middle. Now that I finished the second chapter it shouldn't be so hard to continue. I might even have the next one up by Friday! (Like I said, this was supposed to be a one-shot, so I don't have the story planned out at all. This means ****you**** can send me suggestions and I can put them in! You actually have a say in a story for once! Yay! I probably won't take all suggestions but there is a really good chance of me using at least a piece of your suggestion in the story+ I will credit it to you in the end notes!!)**

**PS: PLEASE HELP! I need a name for the panther demon! I can't think up a good name to save my life! **

**R&R**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello. Again, I would like to thank all of you who have come this far. You are all great. I PROMISE to reply to anyone who reviews. I might even check out your stories and review them as thanks! (Maybe. I'll try.)**

**Anyway, enjoy the chapter! **

Rin fought against the panther with all of her strength as he carried her though the forest at a nauseating speed. She rammed his chest with her knees and pounded her fists against his back. It appeared as if she was attempting to throw a tantrum from her position over his shoulder. Rin would have been screaming as well if all the air wasn't knocked out of her lungs.

"Damn," the panther demon cursed as he slowed to a halt. For a split second Rin let herself believe that he was going to set her free. That illusion quickly faded as a putrid smelling cloth was pressed roughly against her mouth and nose. Her world went dark.

-

The pain in her head was the first thing she noticed as she began to creep out of her drug induced sleep.

"So, finally awake are you?" said a voice from somewhere beyond Rin's closed eyes. "You've been asleep for awhile. A day and a half to be exact." The memories of her kidnapping flew back to Rin, making her heart pound near the bursting point. She had been taken away from Sesshomaru. Rin lay in this panther's clutches now.

Rin forced herself up on one elbow and strained to open her eyes. It was a slow and painful process. When she was squinting she learned that she and the panther demon were in a small cave. Sunlight shined in its open mouth and hurt her eyes.

"The pain will wear away soon," commented the panther demon from where he sat, at the mouth of the cave. He was leaning his back on the cave wall with his hands placed lazily behind his head, a cocky expression dominating his features.

"Well, _Lord Sesshomaru_ should be able to come after us now." said the panther as he stared sluggishly out of the caves mouth. "But he won't." Rin's eyes widened and she forgot all about the pain for a few seconds out of shock.

"Why?!" she yelled, terror painted all about her face.

"Simple," he replied with a mixture of logic and his own cocky nature. "I'm fast and I've been covering up our tracks so well even _Lord Sesshomaru_ will have trouble caching up. Even if he was willing to wait and try to track us, he won't go to all the trouble it will take to catch us now. You're just a human. Not worth the time."

Rin stared at him silently for a second. The pounding in her head had returned, worsened by her yell, so she only whispered, "You're wrong."

He stared at her, surprised, for a moment. "What are you to Sesshomaru anyway?" he asked bluntly. "I don't see why he drags a human girl around with him. What are you, he pet?" he asked sarcastically, but then a mischievous gleam entered his eyes.

"Maybe you're his _toy_." The panther reached his hand out slowly towards her face. "You would make a _very_ good toy." Rin froze for a moment, shocked at his words, and then, when his hand was a mere inch from stroking her face, she slapped it away with all of her might.

"Well, aren't you a feisty little thing!" the panther laughed. "But be at ease. Nothing _bad_ is going to happen to you. I'm simply your escort, but after we arrive, who knows where you'll end up."

"Where are we going?" Rin asked nervously. The panther gave her one of his cocky smiles.

"We are going to Mother Wolf. She is a sort of ringleader to us outlawed demons. I have quite a few enemies, but barley anyone will dare attack me when they learn I'm part of her gang. She kills _anyone_ who dares to hurt one of her lackeys, or _children_, as she likes to call us." He smiled a menacing smile.

"That means Sesshomaru will find quite a surprise if he _does_ follow us. And all I have to do to keep this protection is give her a _gift_ ever once in a while." The panther paused for a moment and smiled. "That's where you come in."

"What would she want with me?" Rin asked, near tears and her voice holding a hint of hysteria.

"Who know," he shrugged, "She might keep you as a servant, sell you to the highest bidder, or any range of things."

Then he stood and said, "I'm going to get us some food while your head is recovering. Don't even think of trying to run away. I'm not going far and will know the **second **you step foot out of this cave."

The panther began to walk but turned back to face Rin. "My name is Hero by the way."

Rin sucked in a small shocked gasp.

"Ironic name for your kidnapper?" he asked rhetorically, a hint of laughter in his tone. Then he disappeared into the surrounding trees.

**Thank you **cutiepiedal**! I wasn't going to use your name (Hero) for my panther demon, but I just love it when things are ironic, so I couldn't resist! Maybe there should be a story about why his parents gave him that name. Thanks for the inspiration! - **

**I would also like to thank **drummergirl1038 **for being so awesome and finding this story again even when I had to delete it for a few days. Thank you so much! (Sorry fluffy hasn't come to the ****rescue** **yet)**

Erilin-chan, **thank you for reviewing for both of my chapters, and I am happy to inform you that Rin will start being tougher in the next chapter. (Or the 5****th**** one. Not sure yet) **

Rachelandthecupcakecrusades**, thank you for reviewing, adding this to your story alert list, and reminding me I'm not the only one who is bad at names. (That is why I asked for help! - )**

**Sorry to everyone for this chapter being so short and for it sucking. Please review. (I don't mind flame)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, welcome to chapter four! All of you who are reading this rock! I would like to give a special shout out to Osaka-chan064. You rock my socks off! (What does that even mean? Spoiler to anyone who can tell me! - ) **

**PS: Sesshomaru is in this chapter! **

Rin waited a few minutes to make sure he was gone.

Despite what Hero said, Rin had to try and escape. If it would get her any closer to Sesshomaru, she was willing to take the chance.

Taking one last futile look around at the surrounding trees, Rin made a break for it.

She didn't know which way to go, so she settled for the opposite direction Hero had headed.

Rin ran as fast though the underbrush as her legs would carry her. The trees all around seemed menacing. They almost appeared to be mocking her, purposely slowing her down.

Before she had covered any real distance, "Not very good at following instructions, are you?"

Rin swung around and came face to face with a smiling Hero.

"Well, well, well. I'll admit, I didn't think you'd have the strength to do this. Not that it makes much difference," he shrugged.

Hero grabbed her securely by the wrist and began to lead her back the direction she had come, when he felt no resistance his grip loosened slightly.

For a moment Rin let him begin to drag her away, but then her soul sparked.

He wasn't Sesshomaru, so she wouldn't let him lead her anywhere.

One firm yank made the panther's looses grip slide away. The second she was free she darted into a near thick patch of trees.

"Now, do you really want to play this fruitless game of cat and mouse?" he asked firmly. Rin gave him no replied.

She was trapped.

The trees were so close to together in some part that there were only a select few paths she could take to maneuver between them, and, to add to her troubles, the sun was going down. Soon she would hardly be able to see.

"Very well," Hero laughed, "Let's play!"

- - - - - - -

Sesshomaru walked to the edge of a large human city, just out of sight of its inhabitances.

"The panther went through here my lord," said Jaken, once again pointing out the obvious. "Why would he go through a human city?"

"Have you not noticed Jaken?" Sesshomaru said in his ever cold manner.

"Notice my lord?"

"With all of the marsh we have been traveling through, I thought even you would have realized that he was trying to make us lose his trail," Sesshomaru stated.

"But why would he think a human village would stop you?" Jaken asked.

"He underestimates me. He must have I thought that I would not travel though the heart of a human city. That I would lose time traveling around," Sesshomaru said slowly.

"But we won't travel though, right my lord . . . right?" Jaken asked nervously. Without a word Sesshomaru walked into the open.

The second he was in sight the screaming started. Humans scattered like frightened ants, each searching for a safe place to hide.

Seemingly without paying them any notice, Sesshomaru began his dignified walk, a reluctant and frightened Jaken following behind.

There was the sound of shattering objects as the people of the city made a mad dash for safety. Soon the streets were completely bare. The only signs of life were a few faces peering from curtained windows.

Sesshomaru walked on.

When he was about one third of the way through the city things changed for the worse.

Suddenly the barren streets were filled with soldiers, all coming from different directions.

They all faced Sesshomaru, seeming ready to attack, but, before they had the chance, a voice rang out above the sound the rushing warriors made.

"What do you want here demon?!" The speaker was the general. He sat astride on a beautiful war horse, his armor shinning in the fading sunlight.

"Move aside," Sesshomaru commanded, his eyes themselves telling them that obedience was the only way to survive.

A shiver went through the warriors, because, though their own leader to was aw inspiring, he was nothing compared to this demon that stood before them.

"Why are you here?!" the general asked again, not allowing the fear in his heart to reach his voice.

Sesshomaru remained silent.

"Do not test Lord Sesshomaru, you insolent fool!" Jaken squawked. "We are merely searching for the panther demon that passed though here!"

The general stared down at him for a moment, surprised, having not noticed him before that, and then turned to Sesshomaru.

"Is that so?" he questioned. "You are searching for the demon that darted through our city yesterday?"

Sesshomaru nodded his head slightly. So slightly that you could barley even tell it had moved at all.

"Very well, you may go," he said. His soldiers looked at their general, shocked. "Well, what are you waiting for?" he yelled at them. "Clear a path!"

The wall of warriors parted reluctantly.

Sesshomaru walked leisurely right though this sea of men, each man staring at him with hatred shinning from his eyes.

It didn't truly take long for Sesshomaru to pass the warriors, but for them, and Jaken, it felt like an eternity.

After that Sesshomaru and Jaken were stared out of the city by the soldiers and the window peekers, their bravery growing as they began to even lean their heads out to watch the strangers leave.

When Sesshomaru had reached the opposite edge of the city, his back willingly turned from it forever more, the general looked to a group of men.

"Monk?" he asked sharply.

A man in monk's clothing materialized from his hiding spot in the masses.

"Yes sir." he replied.

"Is **it **ready to fire?" the general asked calmly.

"Yes sir," the monk replied startled. "But he has already left! Surely he is no danger now!"

"Any demon that walks into our city is a danger! We have to show him, and the other demons, that no one threatens our city without consequence! I will not let another demon get away!" he yelled hastily. "Send the signal!"

The monk looked up at the general, shocked, then to the shrinking figure of Sesshomaru.

For a moment he closed his eyes, furrowing his brow.

When he opened them he looked once again at the back of Sesshomaru, this time his face covered with regret.

The monk raised his arm slowly, holding his first two fingers up, both tilted forward slightly.

For a few breath-holding moments he let them hang there, suspended. Then he brought his whole arm down with lighting fast precision. The slapping sound his hand made as it hit his thigh seemed to hang thick in the air.

The signal had been sent.

- - - - -

"Ready or not, here I come!" Hero whispered forebodingly as he stepped into the trees after Rin.

Her heart was beating wildly as she grasped the bark of the nearest tree for dear life. It didn't help her that the sun had almost completely vanished from the sky. She had never liked the dark.

"Boo," Hero said softly in Rin's ear. Her eyes widened. She hadn't heard his footsteps at all.

"You're not very good at this game," he taunted.

Hero reached out to grab her but she darted away, deeper into the trees, before he even knew she had overcome her shock.

The time Rin had spent traveling with Sesshomaru had taught her plenty about dodging. Unfortunately it had not taught her much about fighting. That was _always _Sesshomaru's job.

But if she wanted to get away from this demon she would have to fight, otherwise there was no chance.

Rin tripped in her mad dash and fell hard against the forest floor. The smell of wet leaves filled her nostrils and a few of the leaves themselves had been shoved in her mouth by her landing.

She spit them out, pushed herself up angrily, and looked back to see what had tripped her. It was a large stick about the size of a club.

Her anger vanished and she seized the stick as quickly as she could. Then she regained her footing, pressed her back against a tree, and held her club up in front of her, preparing to swing.

It only took a few seconds for what she was waiting for to happen.

Hero swung around the tree she was behind, attempting to startle her once again. This time he failed.

All he had time to say was, "Found . . . ," before the club crashed into the side of his skull. The force was so much that his head slammed against the tree he had come from around, breaking off large pieces of bark.

He let out a painful yell, but that didn't stop Rin from slamming the mallet with all of her might again, this time against the front of his face.

The force of the blow was so much it knocked Hero backwards off of his feet. He landed hard on the ground gripping his nose.

Rin stared down at him for half a second, shocked at what she had done. Then she came to her senses and started running, stick still in her hand.

She left the dense trees the way she had entered them and took off once again in the direction she had been headed.

Rin had never run so fast in her life. The trees passing by were blurs, all blending together. She didn't know how she kept from running into them. It might have had something to do with the adrenalin rushing through her body.

She didn't know how long she ran or how far, she only knew exactly how her triumph was ruined.

In the blink of an eye Rin was knocked roughly off her feet, lost grip of her club, and was slammed against a tree. Her arms were being gripped so hard by clawed hands that the nails dug deep in her flesh, making her bleed. She could feel the small streams of blood sliding down her arms.

Pain shot through her back and upper arms around the claws that were still being held in her flesh. She let out painful gasp, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

Looking up, she found herself staring into the eyes of a livid Hero. Even in the dark she could see his broken nose, disfigured as it was, and the crimson blood covering his face that had come from it.

Murder was in his eyes.

**Cliff hanger! And do you want to know something that will make you really hate me? I'm not putting up the next chapter until I get somewhere between 5 and 10 reviews! The review can be only one word if you want, so it's not that bad of a deal. I hope you all review. (Even if this chapter wasn't written very well.) I promise to reply if you do. **

**Shout Outs**

Erilin-chan: **Was she tough enough this chapter? I think I'm going to make her get even tougher over time. (As in can fight better)**

VampireInuFreak: **I know this is still short, but at least it is longer then the last one. **

Brijustme: **Did I update soon enough?**

Rachelandthecupcakecrusades:** Hi! (What are the cupcake crusades?)**

drummergirl1038:** WHAZ UP! **

Celina Young: **You better be reading this! **

**(She hates Rin but I'm making her read my story anyway!)**

**Osaka-chan064: Hello! What's up? Call me buddy! Oh, and give me back my socks.**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm soooo sorry! This is so late. From now on I'm going to try to start a deadline! What day would be best for me to post? I'm going to go with Friday until I get some feed back on that! Anyway, on with the story!**

Never had Rin seen so much hatred in one piercing gaze.

His claws dug deep in her skin and fury burned in his eyes. She truly believed she was going to die.

But then, from deep inside, her soul sparked. Tears streaming from the corners of her eyes, Rin made one last attempt at freedom.

Doing the first thing that came to her mind, she used her last burst of strength to slam her knee against the weak spot between his legs.

He gasped in shock and, for a moment, withdrew his claws and relinquished his grip. That moment was all Rin needed to make a break for it.

She rushed away from his reaching arms into the trees.

But Hero wasn't just playing anymore.

Within a few seconds of her escape, she had spotted his blurred figure chasing along side her, a murderous tendency still showing in his unguarded eyes.

In a flash, he jumped.

Hero flew by Rin, airborne, and raked his claws against her fragile side, taking the first few layers of skin and muscle away with him.

She released a gasp of pain and, halting where she stood, grasped her profusely-bleeding side.

Rin pressed her eyes tightly together for a moment, but then slowly opened them. Bringing the hand which had been covering her wound in front of her face, she stared at it in pure shock.

It was covered with her own blood.

A branch snapped behind her and she managed to turn her head around, grasping a tree to hold herself up on her wobbling legs.

Hero was walking slowly to her from between the trees. His legs seemed to be shaking, almost as if he wanted to stop himself from taking another step, and his fists were rolled up so tight that small lines of his blood were dripping from his palm. Or maybe it was remnants of her own.

It was like someone flipped a switch in Rin's mind.

The pain was gone, as was the fear. It was as if she was watching her own life, not living it. Only one thing echoed through her frozen mind.

_Run!_

Rin ran, blood pouring relentlessly from her side. Hero dashed after her, of course, but didn't reach her before she had already left the cover of the trees.

Unfortunately for Rin, there was no room left to run after the trees were behind her. She stared blankly at a hard cliff wall.

Sill in her daze, she turned to the sight of the ever-angry Hero.

He was fuming, though his footsteps still seemed resistant.

"Nowhere left to run," he stated coldly with more than a hint of malice.

Rin glanced around, looking for any chance at escape.

Further along the cliff face, there was a rather small hole. From where Rin stood, it looked were if it was deep.

It was her last shot.

Rin dove at the fracture with all the speed she could muster.

Hero gained on her right as she neared its safe depths. Swiftly reaching out, he only managed to cut off a large chunk of her hair as she slid, feet first, out of his reach.

--------

Sesshomaru heard it coming about a second before it reached him, but that didn't prevent the shock.

He heard an unnatural whooshing coming in his direction. Sesshomaru turned his head around slightly to investigate.

At the top of the tallest building in the city was a group of monks. They had prepared a special weapon for demons.

That is what Sesshomaru now faced.

Sacred sutras, they alone could never hurt a strong demon such as Lord Sesshomaru, but they were only part of the _thing_ launched.

It had been uniquely made just for the purpose of killing a powerful demon. Many sacred sutras were in a large ball held together with a mystery substance that gave the object its extraordinary power.

The weapon was alight with an astonishing white glow as it flew at Sesshomaru's turned back. It seemed almost translucent.

Sesshomaru's eyes widened, and he vainly attempted to turn to face the fast-approaching object. It reached him before he had a chance.

The glowing ball sunk though his armor without even causing a dent. It was only meant for flesh. He felt it race though his back, reaching though him all the way to his lungs, making them falter. His back felt as if it was on fire where the thing had touched him.

Once it reached his insides it vanished, but the damage was still there. But he would die before letting the humans know that.

Sesshomaru slowly turned to the village and tilted his head up questioningly, as if saying, _Was that really suppose to hurt?_ Then he turned away once more and walked nobly out of their sight.

"Those humans are lucky we are in too much of a hurry to bother with them! Right, my Lord?" Jaken questioned. His voice shook slightly, rattled as he was by the previous event. But he convinced himself there was no need to worry. Sesshomaru wouldn't even be affected by something like that.

He was _very_ wrong.

Mere moments after the human city was blocked by trees, Sesshomaru nearly collapsed. He grasped a tree in front of him with both hands and, eyes shut tight in pain, took swift shallow breaths.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken exclaimed, but his words barely reached the demon lord. To him, Jaken's voice sounded soft and far away.

Sesshomaru tried to maneuver where his back was pressed against the tree. As he turned himself, his hands gripped the bark so tight his knuckles surpassed their usual shade of white. His eyes were squinted open painfully, a look of excruciating determination on his face.

When Sesshomaru's back rested against the thick tree, he allowed himself to slide down gradually. Even the moonlight coming through the trees was too bright for his eyes as he struggled to keep them open. Jaken scurried around him like a frightened animal, squawking incoherent words Sesshomaru could find no meaning in. He stared past Jaken, eyes blurring, in the direction Rin's scent had traveled. _Of all times, why now?!_ He couldn't travel in that condition.

He couldn't even move.

As the world darkened around him, he fell into a healing sleep. His last thought before passing into oblivion was that Rin was getting farther and farther away, and he lacked the ability to pursue her . . . for now.

**Pitch Black Nothingness **

---------

It was dark.

Only in the middle of that dark hole did Rin's mind finally sink back into her body. It all ached. She could feel the blood still pouring out of her side, arms, and other small cuts she had received. How much had she lost? Her mind was dizzy, but she couldn't faint now. She felt like if she did she would never wake up again.

Rin looked up at the hole which she had come though, trying to distract herself from the pain. It was very small. She was surprised she had fit. Though its size was a stroke of luck because Hero was too large to follow.

As that thought crossed her mind Hero's arm shot though the hole, reaching in to grab her.

Rin let out a piercing scream. His claws raked close to her face as she backed as far as she could, terror in her eyes. He let his hand swipe through the air uselessly a few more times before he withdrew it.

For a few seconds there was complete silence except for Rin's pounding heart. Then she heard the sound of attacks. Hero was pouncing at anything in his sight, venting his fury. He attacked trees, rocks, even the ground, relentlessly. Hours passed and still the sound did not cease, though it did slow.

Rin felt so weak, she could barely see straight. She had lost so much blood, though she had balled up her kimono over her wounds trying to stop the flow.

Finally, the noise stopped. Within seconds Hero's face appeared in Rin's view, right outside of her safe haven.

He seemed completely different. Rage no longer filled his eyes; she could see that, even though he avoided hers. His face was calm, remorseful even.

The he slowly reached his hand into to hole and held it there for a few moments. "Come on," he said. "If you stay in there, you'll die."

His voice almost sounded worried.

**Well, there. I'm finally done. I hope you all liked this chapter and you review. I'm going to do my best to post the next chapter Friday. Please read it! (Oh, but I might not post it if I don't have over 7 reviews! Accept the challenge!) **

** - **

Erilin-chan - Thank you for the kicking him . . . there . . . idea! Hope you liked the chapter!

**I give her credit for the crotch kicking!**

osaka-chan2 – Thank you for always editing my stories! You rock!


	6. Chapter 6

Yes, here is chapter six

**I'm so sorry! I know this is incredibly late (as in late enough that most of you probably forgot all about it). I actually intended to stop writing, but then I looked at my reviews and felt horrible. "Don't leave us hanging" and "update soon" were two of the many wonderful things you brilliant reviewers said that made me feel like crap for stopping. So here I am, trying to relight the flame for this story in my heart. Wish me luck.**

Rin stared at his hand, eyes full of doubt. Why would he change him mind so quickly? Hadn't he wanted to kill her not long before? Yet his words were true. If she stayed where she was, she would die, no doubt.

A spark lighted in her soul. She wouldn't die here helplessly in a hole, but she wouldn't give in completely either. Determination in her eyes, she made the painful reach for his hand. And shoved it out of the way.

Using all of the strength she could muster, she gripped the sides of the stone safe house and pulled herself into the fresh air of the cool night. All of her muscles protested angrily and burned with the effort. Once she was outside, panting on her knees, she could move no further and collapsed.

In one swift motion, Hero swung her, rather roughly, under his arm. Rin made a small squeal of protest but then went limp. There was nothing more she could do. Rin's world swirled, nausea threatening to overcome her.

Time went by at a snail's pace until she was dropped roughly on the hard cave floor. Horrific pain shot through her back and side upon impact, and she gasped pathetically, eyes squeezed together tightly.

Hero glanced at her and then to the ground. "Sorry," he spoke quietly. "I have a horrible temper. It takes control sometimes." Remorse filled his eyes, but it wasn't for her. She was human and, in his eyes, meant nothing. The regret he felt was for losing control once again and, even in her weakened state, Rin could see that. He was in a world of his own now, lost in memories.

She stared at him, still speaking…yet not to her. In fact, she realized, he had forgotten she was there altogether. What had he done that had been so horrible in order to cause that much pain in his heart? Suddenly she pitied him, for the moment at least, and wanted to help in some way, no matter how small.

Her quiet voice chimed through the cave before she even realized words were forming on her tongue. "I forgive you."

Hero silenced, and his head shot up the second the word left her lips. He stared into her eyes, and his own locked on hers, full of shock as he truly saw her for the first time. It was then clear to Rin it might very well be the first time he had ever heard those three words.

Hero continued to stare for a few suspended moments before he got to his feet and finally spoke again. "You're hurt pretty bad," he said, refusing to make eye contact again. "I'll go and find you some things to help you heal. For now, just try to keep pressure on the worse of the gashes. I'll be back as quickly as I can."

Rin watched him leave, shocked. If she wasn't mistaken, she had seen tears welling up in the corners of his dark brown eyes.

--

Sesshomaru saw Rin deep in his slunber. He dreamed of her, the love he never wished to have. A symbol of all the feelings that he never wanted or thought would plague him. She stood for all he had shunned and all he had scorned for so many years, and now she was his. And for the first time in his life, he had something to protect. Something worth protecting. Yet still his heart was reluctant; when he thought of her, he felt the shadow of the morals he had betrayed towering over him. He shouldn't love her. He shouldn't even want to save her.

_Save her_, the words echoed through his train of thought. She was in danger. She had been taken from him and he didn't know how to get her back. He couldn't even fully comprehend where he was, his mind fogged over as it was. One thing he knew for certain though was that Rin's kidnapper would rue the day he laid a finger on her. Rue even looking at her innocent face.

_And if she is injured or dead he will pay with a death more horrible then I have ever inflicted on anyone_, Sesshomaru promised himself in his slumber.

--

Rin waited for Hero to return, her world swirling from the blood loss as she felt her heart slowing. Rin didn't know how much longer she could make it, as faint as she felt.

Time went slowly and Rin knew that if Hero didn't return soon, she would die without a doubt. She felt vomit rise in her throat, head spinning more violently then before. Her heart picked up its pace and fluttered rapidly like a caged bird. She brought her weak hand to cover her mouth and squeezed her arms against her chest, as if trying to confine her heart. Her body was exerting one last effort to save itself.

Then it all stopped, and silence rang in her ears where the sound of her frantically beating heart had been. Rin's eyes widened in realization; she was seconds away from death, and there was no Sesshomaru to snatch her from its grip this time.

As the blood halted in her veins, she felt her body falling to the cave floor on which she sat. Her fogging mind saw the ground coming and prepared for the impact. Yet it never came. Everything went black.

--

Hero entered the cave just in time to see Rin's body falling to the cave floor. Before his brain even had time to register what he was seeing, he dropped all of the herbs and healing materials in his arms and dove for her.

Catching her right before her head hit the hard stone floor, he looked down at her seemingly slumbering face. Wet lines from where the tears had just been falling marked her cheeks, though now her face was smooth and peaceful. And the moisture was the only sign that misery had been there moments before. Rin's body still retained some of the warmth of life in Hero's arms. So it wasn't too late.

Hero laid her on the ground, quickly but gently, and retrieved the supplies he had lost. He knew he had to work swiftly if he wanted the young girl to live. Within seconds he had grasped the part of her kimono that his claws had earlier torn and ripped it apart just enough to reveal the whole wound.

Hero gasped. It was much deeper then he had thought. Deep impressions of his own claws were carved profoundly in her side. Blood was still pooling around the open gashes, though the heart pumped it no longer. That would have to change soon…or she would be lost.

Hero knew that she couldn't lose any more blood, or recovery would go from unlikely to impossible. He took one of the many herbs he had brought, which was green and looked much like an average fern leaf, and placed it on the wound. After that he grabbed the bandages he had stolen and threaded it under her kimono, quickly wrapping it over the herb and wounds multiple times until it was sturdy. It would have taken minutes for an average human, but he did it in seconds.

He knew her heart had to start again soon or she would be lost. Even though he had only been in the cave for a little over a minute, each second made a recovery more and more unlikely.

Hero bushed a strand of hair gently out of her face as he positioned himself beside her. Then he placed his hands onto of her heart, one over the other, and pushed.

One.

Two.

Three.

He knew what he needed to do next, though he was oddly nervous to do it. He dove, placing his lips on hers. For a moment, time froze, and he forgot to breath. There was a suspended second where he remained leaning over her, lips touching hers. Soon he realized what he was doing, and time started for him again as he pressed the much needed air in her lungs.

One. Two. Three. The process went on and on for what seemed like forever. Just as Hero started to give up hope, a small gasp escaped Rin, and her heart started beating without his help.

Though it was not strong, she was alive. Hero reached back for his herbs, breathing a sigh of relief. Then he started to combine some of the odd-looking items and mashed them together in a small wooden bowl.

After maybe an hour of mashing and listening to Rin's quiet breathing beside him, there was an amber liquid in the bowl. He turned quickly to Rin and held the bowl in his left hand. Raising her head gently with his right, he delicately opened her mouth with the edge of the bowl. Then he slowly poured the concoction down her throat, making sure not to choke her.

_There, _Hero thought. _Tha__t is all I can do for now. That potion will increase the amount of blood her body makes for awhile. Once she has more blood in her, I can move her back to Mother Wolf's where she will be safe._

Then he realized something that shocked him. It wasn't the knowledge that caused the surprise, but the effect it had on him. Once she was there she would be taken care of, but after she got better, anything could happen to her. The only thing that was for sure was that she wouldn't be with him. He knew all of this before, but what shocked him was that he cared. It upset him and he had no idea why. She was a useless human. Who would care what happens to her, and who would want her around?

…_Me_, his heart said.

Still shaken from what his subconscious had said, he decided to go on a short walk to get some fresh air. But he refused to walk too far. That would put Rin out from under his protection. And he couldn't have that now, could he?

**I'm so sorry this took so long. I know it is short, too. I really hope to make the next one longer. Thank you to anyone who reads this after my disappearance. You are the best and I love you all. **

**Shout out to ****osaka-chan2****, the greatest editor in the world! Thank you so much! If it weren't for you, I never would have started writing this again. You rock my socks off!**


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